Another one of singer Marilyn Manson’s concert performances has been protested, but a political figure has made a statement against the protests. Mexican governor Ricardo Gallardo Cardona has responded to backlash from citizens over a free concert performed by Manson in the state of San Luis Potosí over the weekend, according to LoudWire. 

Cardona booked Manson for the state’s annual fair on Aug. 10. However, not everyone enjoyed the music performance. Several religious and conservative groups in San Luis Potosi protested the concert and called it “inappropriate.” One of the organizations, the National Union of Parents, gathered over 6,000 signatures from citizens in support of canceling Manson’s performance.

Gallardo Cardona responded to the pushback and declared his decision to book the shock rocker for the event in “defense of freedom of expression” in order to help with the “cultural lag” he believes the state has been suffering from.

“There will always be opposing voices and Marilyn Manson has faced them not just in Mexico but in other parts of the world too. But if he’s already performed in Rome, the cradle of Catholicism, why couldn’t he perform in San Luis Potosi?” the Governor told Billboard prior to Manson’s show. “This isn’t about religion; it’s about cultural justice, about creating unity and we must do it through music.”

Manson had a concert protested earlier this year, but unlike the San Luis Potosí performance, the show was canceled by Manson. The singer was scheduled to play a concert in Bournemouth, U.K. on Oct. 31 until Council leader Millie Earl urged the venue to cancel due to the abuse allegations that had been made against Manson in recent years.

Photo Credit: Owen Ella